Sun 18th March: BetVictor’s Charlie McCann looks to the new 2012 F1 season, starting in Australia; Vettel aims for a title hat-trick.
The testing is complete and the eagerly-anticipated 2012 Formula 1 season gets underway in Melbourne later in the month with Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel once again looking the ones to beat for the Constructor and Drivers championship respectively although it would be wrong to say that their testing in Spain had gone without the odd minor hiccup.
It is probably worth pointing out the most significant minor alterations to the sport this coming season which include:
(i) During a safety-car period all lapped cars will be able to unlap themselves and join the back of the pack. The thought behind this is to ensure a clean restart with those at the front not being immediately faced with slower cars
(ii) The maximum race time is now four hours. Cars which were in the pit lane when the race was suspended will now be allowed to re-join the cars on the grid in the position they were at the time of the suspension
(iii) As well as pre-season testing for the first time there will be one three-day period of testing (dates to be confirmed).
(iv) All tyres must now be used on the first day of practice (formerly only three sets allowed on Friday)
There have been a number of driver changes but the most significant will see 2007 Champion Kimi Raikkonen return with the Lotus Team after a two year break during which he had been competing in the World Rally Championship.
There will be 20 races during the year with Bahrain being restored after missing 2011 and the return of the US Grand Prix at a brand-new circuit in Austin Texas.
Six current or former World Champions will line up in Australia and we at BetVictor, at the time of writing, are the stand alone top price at 11/10 on Vettel to land a hat-trick of Titles. The German’s Red Bull could, once again, be in a different class to his rivals but at this time of the year the McLarens, Ferraris, Mercedes and Lotus must feel confident that they can close the gap between Red Bull and the rest in 2012 especially as Adrian Newey’s latest car has not impressed everyone although it is, of course, early days.
Fernando Alonso (11/2) will be hoping his new Ferrari is more competitive in competition than it has looked in testing but you write off the 2005/06 Champion at your peril. His car was inferior to both Red Bull and McLaren in 2011 yet he still had nine podium finishes in finishing fourth.
Lewis Hamilton is 6/1 third favourite despite the fact that he finished 43 points and three places behind team mate Jenson Button in 2011. Hamilton had a difficult year both on and off the track it was the first time he had been out-driven by a teammate with three wins countered by any number of visits to the stewards’ room and subsequent penalties mostly after brushes with Felipe Massa.
Jenson Button the 2008 World Champion is 8/1 to regain his crown having finished runner up behind Vettel in 2011. Three wins and a consistent season but we just fancy that if Hamilton gets his head together he is the faster driver.
Mark Webber won just the once in 2011 (Vettel did not finish) and it must be a chastening experience every Grand Prix to see your team mate perform completely out-perform you in qualifying and during the race. He is 12/1 but it is hard to make a case for the Aussie to beat Vettel but could there be a Red Bull 1-2?
We have any number of season long match bets which will be updating throughout the season including Lewis Hamilton at ¾ to score more points than Jenson Button 20/21.
For the first time in 2012 will have a choice of where to watch the race live with the BBC covering half of the 20 races live including China in April, Europe in June and the British Grand Prix in July but will you be seduced by Georgie Thompson and Sky who are broadcasting all 20 Grand Prix live on their new dedicated F1 Channel?
The action gets underway down under in the early hours of Sunday 18th March and for all your F1 odds throughout what promises to be a fascinating year check out BetVictor.com – new customers can claim a £25 free bet
Be lucky
Charlie
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